Powerless
by Trinkett
Summary: Chlerek/Set after The Reckoning- "I wished I could follow his advice and 'run like hell', but running isn't easy when hell itself is chasing you"
1. Just a Dream

**POWERLESS**

**So a quick note- this is intended to follow _The Reckoning_. They _will_ have their powers, and i'll try to keep everyone in character. Without giving too much away, "powerless" refers to a lack of control rather than a lack of actual powers...thats all i'm saying for now )**

After a week at their new High School, one thing caught Chloe off guard: It was strange how _normal_ everything seemed.

The awkward introductions, the hasty reorganization of seating charts and schedules- it was all remarkably similar to all the other times Chloe Saunders had switched schools.

Only this time she wasn't Chloe Saunders.

"Chloe Davis?"

She nearly forgot about her new name as Ms. Coldwell took attendance, but Tori elbowed her in the ribs. "Here!" she answered hastily, then shot Tori a glare.

"What? It's not _my_ fault you're too tired to remember your own name," Tori replied.

The tone was light and teasing, but Chloe could detect the tension underneath. She saw how stiffly Tori sat in her desk- arms crossed, fingers drumming anxiously against one of her arms. It was harder for her than it was for Chloe or Simon or Derek, who were all used to moving.

But then again...they were all a bit on edge, and the last thing she needed was to blow their cover. She pulled out her notebook, exhausted, but determined to not slip up again.

Of course it didn't help that she'd gotten roughly four hours of sleep the night before- one of which was spent in the woods, huddled up against her wolf of a boyfriend. Lately he seemed to get less tired from the changes, stopping for a quick nap, then running and (carefully) playing with Chloe until he was completely exhausted and could change back.

As for the rest of the night…There was a steady stream of nightmares.

_A giant chasm appearing at her feet. Bodies in various states of decay crawling out from the ground, their eyeless faces turned towards her. Grasping at her skin and her clothes. Pulling her down into the void…_

_Derek's skin sliced open, fur spilling from the wounds..._

_Simon and Tori tied to a stake, surrounded by her own blue flames…_

_Her mother…faceless, voiceless…always just out of reach…_

_In the background she could hear Diriel's laughter._

"_You won't be able to save them…You can't even save yourself…"_

Just like every night since they'd escaped from the Edison group, Chloe would fall asleep, only to wake up shaky and slightly out of breath. The last few nights had been the worst, with the same dreams- bad enough that Derek had crept silently into her and Tori's room to wake her up, then sat with her downstairs at the kitchen table while she sipped hot chocolate and he ate cereal from a mixing bowl.

They would talk quietly for a while, then she'd pass out at the table and wake up tucked in her bed.

It had become a bit of a routine, but last night had been bad enough that as hard as she tried, she still couldn't fall back asleep.

_They're just dreams_. Chloe stubbornly reassured herself, then turned her attention back to Tori's comment.

"It's getting harder to tire him out- we were up pretty late playing frisbee," Chloe replied, then winced at her mistake.

_Shoot. I wasn't supposed to mention that._

One of Tori's favorite past-times was making fun of Derek for his…canine qualities. The last thing she needed was more ammunition. But this time she took a different angle.

Tori smirked, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Well no wonder you're worn out…so what exactly is _frisbee_ code for?"

Chloe blushed at the implication. "You know exactly what it means!"

"I don't blame you- a few hours out in the woods, far away from everyone else…Fido doesn't wear anything when he changes right?"

At that point Chloe elbowed Tori, who gasped and doubled over in pain. Ms. Coldwell shot them a nasty look.

"She gets pretty emotional over…um," Chloe glanced at the book they were supposed to be reading, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Chloe mentally smacked her forehead.

"Really? Well, I appreciate your interest in literature- I'm sure you two won't mind an extra assignment. Two pages, double-spaced, explaining how Mark Twain's work relates to your own lives. Now as I was saying…"

They were both silent for the rest of class.

Thirty-five agonizing minutes later, the bell rang and they filed out of the classroom. Since they had been seated towards the back, Chloe and Tori were among the last to leave.

While Chloe shoved her notes into her bag, half-listening as Tori ranted about how their teacher was a "power-tripping, psychotic, bi-o-tch", she spotted a familiar figure leaning against the lockers: tall, dark, and intimidating as always, Derek Souza glared at a boy who had been in her past two classes and had tried talking to Chloe at lunch, but brightened when he saw her.

Chloe tried to ignore how her heart jumped around in her chest. She sidled up to him and slipped one of her hands into his, her head falling to lean against his shoulder as they walked along the hallway. They weren't big on PDA, but she felt him kiss the top of her head when Tori wasn't looking, pausing for just a second to inhale.

He'd explained early on that smelling her was a comfort thing- that he instinctually relied on his sense of smell as much as sight or touch. He'd obviously been embarrassed, but Chloe liked how it made such an innocent gesture seem…intimate. She squeezed his hand, and matched his smile with one of her own.

"So I knew Chloe kept you on a… _tight leash_, but frisbees for good behavior?" Tori quipped, grinning wickedly, "If I buy you chew toy, can I borrow your car?"

Derek groaned. "You told her?" he half growled.

"Sorry…It sort of slipped out," Chloe apologized.

"Told her what?"

They all turned a bit to see Simon, still wearing his clothes from last-period gym as he jogged to catch up with them.

"That Chloe's been teaching Fido how to play fetch," Tori laughed.

Simon rolled his eyes. "Do you always need to be such a _witch_?"

"Oh yeah? Bite me Harry Potter."

They eased into their usual sibling bickering, walking towards the parking lot while Chloe and Derek followed a few paces behind.

She felt him nudge her shoulder. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

For a second Chloe caught her reflection in his worried eyes- wispy blonde hair, pale skin that seemed even paler when contrasted with the dark shadows beneath her tired eyes…

"Yep- Just a little worn-out," she replied. He didn't look convinced, so she summoned up a cheerful smile, "How was AP Trigo-whatever it is you're taking?"

He frowned. "You can't distract me by talking about math."

"I'm not talking about math. I wanted _you_ to talk about math."

"_Chloe_."

"Yes?"

For a moment he paused, looking genuinely frustrated. "There's something…something you're not-"

"I CALL SHOTGUN!"

Derek sighed as Simon cut him off, fishing the keys to his Jeep out from his coat pocket.

The beat up wrangler had been purchased on the sly, provided conveniently enough by the same person who had created their new ID's, documents, and Derek's drivers license.

Just as she was about to get in the car, he leaned down. His breath was warm against her ear, but it still made her shiver. "_You're not off the hook on this one_," he whispered, giving her hand one last squeeze before letting go.

Chloe sighed, annoyed but not surprised. For someone with limited social skills, he had a remarkable knack for calling her bluffs.

Ready for the weekend, they piled into the Jeep and headed back to their new home.

**So I need to ask for a favor...please review and let me know if you want more/loved it/hated it/any constructive criticism- BE AS HARSH AS YOU'D LIKE! I promise that any response will be appreciated :) XX**


	2. Enough For Now

**Hi! Thank you so much for all the reviews! A few comments that I wanted to address: I made this chapter a little bit longer since someone said that the first one wasn't long enough. I don't want to make my chapters too long, because right now I'm trying to find a good balance between plot and the fun stuff :) As for Diriel...you'll find out soon about whats going on. Please keep in mind that I haven't read Kelley's other books, so my knowledge of demons is pretty limited- I promise to keep the story true to the knowledge presented in Darkest Powers as much as possible. **

At some point during the drive back, Chloe had fallen asleep. The last time she'd accidentally dozed off in a car she must've been five or six…she couldn't remember the exact age, but she knew it must have been some time before the accident. For a while she'd developed an outright aversion to being in cars- not by whining or admitting that she was scared (because she could tell that would only make her dad more upset) but she'd make excuses.

_It's so pretty outside daddy- can we walk to the park?_

_I don't want to go to that movie- can we stay here and watch Homeward Bound?_

_My tummy hurts- If I go to school then the other kids might get sick._

It became pretty obvious to her Dad and Aunt Lauren what was going on- they gave her a speech, full of soft reassurances and comforting words- saying how it was okay, _natural_ even, that she would be scared after what had happened with her mom.

But that only made Chloe feel worse- _guilty_ that she'd made them worry- so she ignored all the bad thoughts and told them she was okay- asking if they could drive to Snowy Joe's the next day for ice cream just to prove her point.

For a long time, she drew the line at sleeping in a moving vehicle smaller than a bus.

She drifted in and out of sleep, catching bits and pieces of what was happening. She felt for a moment like she was floating, and in some dim corner of her mind she recognized that the unsteady up and down motion that reminded her of waves was actually the sensation of being carried. She heard voices: Derek asking Simon to hand him Chloe's bag, and then Simon shouting back that he'd carry it- but they sounded very distant- like they were speaking loudly, but on the opposite side of a wall. For a second she glanced up and caught a foggy image of Derek's chin and shoulder, but she was caught up in how warm and soft the fabric of his worn-in T-shirt felt against her skin, and when she snuggled a bit closer she caught a whiff of that scent that made her brain go a bit fuzzy- like deodorant mixed with fresh grass and forest and something else she couldn't quite place- but it smelled nice.

The last thought she had was that someone should bottle that smell- or at the very least she should steal one of Derek's hoodies.

When Chloe finally woke up she was a bit disoriented. Part of her had recognized that this wasn't a time to normally be sleeping, so she shot straight up, slamming her shins against the coffee table.

_What the-_

Oh.

She realized she'd been asleep on the couch. One of the light throw blankets, meant more for decoration than actual use, was still tangled around her torso.

"She's awake! C'mon sleeping beauty- we've got lasagna!" Simon shouted cheerfully. He sat down in the recliner, a full-plate and a bottle of water balanced in one hand as he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV with the other.

A carb-heavy, pre-packaged dinner meant that Kit and Aunt Lauren were working late again.

Lauren worked at a nearby hospital- it seemed safe enough as long as she used an alias. As for Kit, he recognized that even though they were in Iowa, far enough from New York to safely go out in public and take up jobs and public schooling, working as a public defender would be too risky. Instead he found a job with a small insurance firm, providing claims counsel and taking care of any legal paperwork.

"Here," Derek said gruffly, placing a bowl of grapes and a plate of steamed broccoli on the end table, next to Simon's plate.

He sat sown next to her, and she could tell by the slightly stiff way he held himself that he was still a little anxious. "You okay?"

She nodded, and as she tried to open her eyes a bit more, realized that the mascara between her lashes was stuck together. "Just give me a minute," she explained before getting up and jogging upstairs to her room.

After washing her face, the cold water jump-starting her brain, Chloe noticed something: her pendant seemed different. It sparkled on the chain that Derek had bought as an "early Christmas/I'm sorry for breaking this" present, but as she held it up to the light for closer examination, she could tell that the color had faded. It wouldn't be noticeable to anyone but her- the amulet had been a light shade of lavender since the incident at the Edison Group labs- but the color had definitely changed…

"CHLOE! WE'RE WATCHING A MOVIE- IS PINEAPPLE EXPRESS OKAY?"

She heard Simon's shout from downstairs, then a muffled noise- undoubtedly Derek throwing a pillow at Simon's face (super-hearing and shouting at close range? Not a good combination). She yelled back (at a significantly lower decibel) that it was okay with her and that she'd be right down.

She quickly brushed her hair and decided to worry about her pendant later.

After the movie was over, Chloe was alone in the living room with Derek. It was Simon's turn to wash the dishes and Tori was upstairs, chatting on the phone with some football player she'd just met. Kit and Lauren had both called and explained they'd be home around midnight.

Normally she'd be excited about having some alone time, but as she felt Derek get up, pulling her with him towards the back door, her stomach twisted in knots for a different reason.

_I have to lie about this._

Saying that they told each other _everything_ was an understatement. Half the time she could figure out if something was wrong just by observing his body language, and his sense of smell- which meant that he could usually pinpoint different emotions- more than made up for his lack of social awareness.

Right now she could tell by the way he moved, calm and confident- shoulders a little tense but otherwise relaxed, and by the gentle yet firm grip of his own hand around her much smaller one, that he had no doubt that he'd get her to tell him what was going on.

But her mind was already made up.

_I can't let him know._

Normally if something was wrong, she wouldn't hesitate to tell him. It was the smart thing to do- she wouldn't let her pride get in the way of asking for help. But it was the fact that he _couldn't_help her- that telling him would just make him worry, and that worrying would just make his wolfy-side go into hyper-protective mode, which meant more stress for _everyone_- that steeled her resolve.

Not telling him was the logical option. If she had to explain later, surely he'd be able to understand that.

They'd been walking for a few minutes when he stopped. She noticed that they were in the same spot as last night- the small clearing where he'd changed. It was next to a pond, which during the spring would be filled with water lilies, but at the moment only held a rippling reflection of the trees and the stars and the moon.

"Chloe…What's wrong?" he asked softly. She didn't want to look him in the eyes, but if she kept staring at her sneakers he'd get suspicious.

She looked up, determined to not show any emotion.

He looked the same as always- hair a little too long, mouth set in a scowl- his eyes glowed slightly in the dark.

"I-" she started, but he cut her off.

"Don't tell me it's nothing," he said, not bothering to hide the gruff edge to his voice.

She scowled back, a little annoyed, but continued.

"I'm having trouble sleeping," she explained. For a moment there was silence, and she knew he was waiting for her to elaborate. "I'm just- I'm stressed that I might screw this up."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm scared because everything seems so good right now- I have Aunt Lauren and You, and Simon and Tori, and you guys have your dad back- and we have a home and school and it's all so _normal, _and nice, and..and I'm freaked out that I'll mess up and ruin everything. I still don't have a good handle on my powers yet, and if I accidentally do anything in public…" It all came out at once, then trailed off.

It was true though- not exactly a lie, just an omission of certain details.

When she saw how Derek looked at her though- how he seemed a bit…_guilty_…she felt horrible.

It was a cheap shot to express the thoughts that she knew he would react strongly to, because they were the same fears he had gone through and _still _struggled with.

It hadn't been her intention, but now that it had happened she realized that it was her best chance to hide what was really happening.

"Really, it's nothing to worry about," she said softly, stretching up to kiss him in what she hoped was a reassuring manner.

He was still for a moment, so she softly pulled him towards her, one hand resting against the side of his face and the other slightly tangled in the collar of his shirt, kissing him a little harder. After a moment he finally relaxed, letting out a slightly shaky breath and sliding his hands around her waist before responding, kissing her slowly and seriously, running his tongue across her bottom lip in a feather light touch that simultaneously made her gasp and gave him entrance.

She pressed against him, _closer_, but not close enough.

One of his hands played with the hem of her shirt, his thumb slowly tracing circles against the skin of her waist, his lips moving across her neck, leaving a trail of hungry kisses that made her shiver against him.

When it got to the point where she felt like she might spontaneously combust or just dissolve in his arms, he froze. When she glanced at his face, eyes wild, nostrils flared, she understood and blushed. She could make an educated guess about what he smelled.

It was frustrating as hell, but they always stopped at that point- right before it became _too_ serious. After a moment she untangled herself from his arms and readjusted her shirt. She felt him nudge her hand with his own, and they started walking back to the house, all traces of earlier tension gone.

**Please Review! I'm pretty busy with school, so if you think this is worth continuing/if you have ANY SUGGESTIONS please let me know! XX**


	3. All Of Your Secrets

**Thanks for the reviews! As always, anything DP belongs to Kelley Armstrong.**

The next few days went smoothly. Chloe turned in her English assignment, hoping that the quality of work would make up for her bad first impression. While their new school was no A.R. Gurney, they did have a decent theater program and even an AV club. She was even doing okay in Pre-Calculus (which she considered an achievement, despite the opinions of a certain genius, who gave her extra homework and deemed the coursework "remedial at best").

She also seemed to have a solution for her nightmares.

Aunt Lauren had wandered into the kitchen at 3 a.m. for a glass of water when she noticed that Derek and Chloe had accidentally dozed off on the living room couch. Instead of flipping out, she'd approached Chloe the next day with a bottle of sleeping pills.

While they didn't get rid of the nightmares, they did keep Chloe asleep for a solid eight hours with minimal tossing and turning.

However, there seemed to be a downside.

_Chloe dreamed that she was back at the Edison Group Compound, but this time she was the one being controlled- she felt her own hand grasp the gun and pull the trigger, the force of the gunshot throwing her slightly off balance. _

_Diriel whispered, her breath warm against Chloe's ear, "Do you understand what is happening? What you have the potential to become?" _

_As Davidoff collapsed, so did the building- she could feel the ground shaking beneath her…_

"Come on Chloe _wake up_!"

She woke up to find Tori's hands on her shoulders, shaking her back and forth.

"Okay- Okay I'm up," Chloe grumbled, then felt a jolt of panic- "Did I sleep through my alarm?"

"No- It's only…" Tori glanced at her watch and cursed, "_Jesus_. It's five-freaking-thirty."

"And…why exactly are we awake?"

Tori cursed again and pointed towards the window, "We seem to have a few of your creepy-crawlies for company."

Chloe jolted out of bed and ran towards the window- luckily there only seemed to be a couple birds, and they didn't make much noise- their decaying wings would occasionally brush against the glass, but the heavy wind kept them preoccupied with simply staying near the window instead of screeching and crashing against it like she'd normally expect.

She quickly released their spirits then mentally scanned the surrounding area for any others she might have accidentally summoned.

By the time she had finished, Tori was fast asleep. While they seemed to vacillate between friendship and blatant indifference (which Chloe wasn't going to complain about- it was way better than Tori's initial psycho-enemy phase), Tori made it clear that she was _no one's_ friend before nine a.m.

It was still dark outside, the clouds of an approaching storm blocked out any moonlight and the wind whipped furiously around the house. It rattled tree branches and whistled eerily across the yard.

For someone who dealt with actual ghosts and zombies, admitting that a storm gave her the shivers made Chloe feel kind of silly, but there was no way she'd be able to go back to sleep.

She grabbed some clothes and headed to bathroom that she and Tori shared, figuring that she might as well take a shower and get off to an early start. She got ready and headed downstairs, but just as soon as she started to pour herself a bowl of cereal she heard someone open the side door and step inside.

Considering all they'd been through, she should have ducked behind the counter, silently observing the intruder before taking any action or alerting the others.

Instead she jumped, spilling cereal everywhere.

"Whoa- Sorry Chloe- It's just me," Simon said as he came into view. He was already dressed for school but his hair was messy from the wind- his blonde spikes pointing in every direction.

Chloe held a hand against her chest, heart hammering at what felt like a million beats per minute. "It's okay, you just spooked me – _What_ were you doing outside?" she asked, curious and a little confused.

Simon shrugged off his jacket and threw it on the couch. "Just needed some fresh air," he said casually, then lit up a bit, "and you really shouldn't lecture other people on being spooky," he joked, flashing a wide grin.

Simon may have been a good actor, but she knew him well enough to realize that when he wanted to hide something, he _always_ turned on the charm and joked around. Realizing that he was lying to her hurt a bit- weren't they supposed to be friends?

She raised an eyebrow in a way that said "you are so full of BS- now fess up".

For a second Simon ignored her, but finally his smile faltered. He sighed and sat down at the kitchen table. For a few moments there was an uncomfortable silence, with only the mournful whistling of wind and the noise made when Simon grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl at the center of the table, then started to roll it back and forth between his hands.

Watching someone else fidget made her feel the same way- she was about to grab a broom and start sweeping up the mess she'd made when Simon finally spoke.

"You have to _promise_ not to tell anyone," he said in an unusually serious tone.

Chloe nodded, still confused and a little wary. Why was it that whenever someone insisted on keeping something a secret, it was usually something that _needed_ to be shared? For a moment, her mind flashed guiltily to what she'd said, or more specifically, _hadn't_ said, to Derek. She shook off the thought, but it reminded her of something else.

"Wait, what about," she glanced towards the stairs- just to check- and curled her hands into claws. In lieu of actual sign-language, it was the not-so-creative gesture that Simon, Tori and herself used whenever they wanted to signal that Derek might be listening.

"Noise enchantment," Simon casually explained, pulling what looked like a very old, very tattered leather-bound book from his back pocket. It was really small, about the size of a wallet, and the cover had something stamped on the front in gold ink. Before she could get a good look at it he started to flip through the yellowed pages, which were covered in sprawling script and complicated symbols.

"It won't block out anything really loud, like a scream or an explosion, but normal conversation should be okay- I've been practicing ever since-" he bit off the sentence, his expression darkening a bit, "ever since Andrew gave me this at the safe house."

Considering how Andrew had turned out to be a rat-faced traitor, it was easy to forget that at one point he had probably been the kind of person that Simon looked up to. Chloe knew what it felt like to find out that one of your heroes was actually one of the bad guys- how much it hurt to be betrayed by someone you thought you could trust**. **The only thing worse than hating someone, was _wanting_ to hate someone, but still caring about them- even after being stabbed in the back.

"That could be really helpful- you know, if we ever need to hide from someone- it definitely would have helped with the whole warehouse fiasco," she said lightly.

It was a very Derek-ish comment- purposefully optimistic, focusing on the logical aspects of the situation instead of the emotions- but it seemed to work.

"I was just planning to use it on myself- drown out Tori every once in a while…but yeah, I probably should perfect it- just in case," Simon replied, already a little more cheerful. "That's actually why I was outside, with this," he waved the book in the air, "I've been practicing some new spells- _just in case_ anything happens again. I don't want to be unprepared, and really, with whatever they did to my powers…I could use all the practice I can get."

"And this is a secret…why exactly?" Chloe prompted.

"Well…They're kind of experimental spells- It's all in runes, so I'm making educated guesses on half of them. Derek wouldn't be cool with it, and my Dad would want to help- which is kind of like when parents volunteer to help with homework...Don't even get me started on Tori. That's why you can't tell them."

"By experimental do you happen to mean dangerous?"

"Um…not really. I set one of the trash bins on fire, but really- that's the worst thing that's happened- scouts honor," Simon insisted.

Chloe groaned.

_I _really_ can't keep all these secrets from Derek._

"Oh come on- it's just one…Wait. What do you mean by _secrets_? As in the plural form of hiding things?"

Chloe's eyes widened marginally.

_Did I say that out loud? Oh fu-wait stay calm! Maybe you can play this off._

"Don't try to hide it- I already saw your expression, so either there's a ghost standing behind me- which I'm not buying- or you're definitely hiding something," Simon said, arms crossed against his chest.

_Shit. _

"How about we make a deal- I won't tell anyone if you don't tell anyone about me," Simon suggested.

_Not good enough. _

Chloe sighed, then realized that he was right- well partially right.

She had the leverage to make a deal, but to make it work she needed to change the terms.

"How about this- I won't tell anyone about your secret. But _you_ need to promise to not ask about mine."

Simon looked kind of uneasy, so she added, "It's nothing serious...It's just kind of awkward and I really don't really want to share," she said.

For a second Simon looked just as confused as she had been when interrogating him, but then something seemed to click- a look of understanding…and something she couldn't place.

"Okay- no problem," he said reassuringly, "Deal?"

She had _no idea_ what explanation he'd just come up with, but she wasn't going to question it.

"Deal."

**Okay...so please let me know what you thought! Please review and give me your input on three things:**

**1) I want to do the next chapter or the chapter after that in Derek's POV. Would that be good/bad/whatever?**

**2) I'm getting _kinda _sick of writing in third person POV and might change to first person, alternating between Chloe and Derek. Again, what are your opinions on this- good/bad/whatever?**

**3) If you have any critiques for my writing, they would be greatly appreciated (even if its just saying "I thought that this paragraph/scene seemed awkward/OOC/poorly written"**

**I promise that there _is _a plot and there will be action soon enough, but I'm REALLY REALLY busy these next few weeks so I might not have time to update. If you want a chapter sooner, REVIEW- knowing that someone out there is _actually _interested in reading this motivates me :)**


	4. DPOV

**So...this is DPOV. I haven't decided yet, but the next chapter might be half DPOV and half CPOV...please review!**

**Oh, and Kelley Armstrong owns anything DP (as always)**

"I can guarantee that it'll help in the social department- the members of our football team are _very_ popular," emphasized Coach Clark- a balding, middle-aged man with a visible beer belly. His speech seemed a bit rehearsed- and it probably was considering that he'd been trying for the past few weeks to corner me into a conversation about why I should join the "fighting falcons" football team.

It took a lot of effort not to laugh. Sure, the football players here were treated the same as those in any other high school (like demigods), but as far as I could tell the most impressive thing about the falcons was how many games they managed to lose.

Coach Clark had already talked to Simon (who politely explained that he was more of a basketball player) and even told Tori that the cheerleading team had a few openings (she less politely explained that she'd rather drink battery acid than join "those brainless barbie dolls").

I ignored most of his spiel. It's not like I could've played a competitive sport even if I wanted to.

Which I sort of had- wanted to I mean- back when I was in middle school and Simon got to try out for basketball. But that was about not wanting to be left out- I could care less about personal glory or school pride. Now I was used to it. The risk of attracting too much attention, or worse, accidentally hurting someone, was too great.

Another thing was that coaches usually avoided me- sure I was a lot bigger, and sometimes they caught me burning off steam on the track- but any physical advantages were negated by my reputation. I _tried_ to cooperate (most of the time), but ever since the puberty smackdown people pegged me as a trouble maker.

Sure, they wanted players who could win games, but more importantly they wanted people who wouldn't question them or their ego-tripping antics.

But _maybe_ people didn't see me as a trouble making thug anymore- the acne and B.O. and even the greasy hair was gone. I could tell that I still intimidated people- sometimes I could _smell_ the fear on them when I came too close- but _maybe_ that was just because of the werewolf thing instead of general contempt….

"And if you need any help in the academics department, we have that covered," he added with a conspirational wink.

Nope. Apparently this coach was just desperate enough to recruit anyone who looked like they could block and tackle. At this point I wasn't really insulted or surprised, but I was pretty annoyed. Just as I was about to cut him off, I smelled something really sweet and homey and familiar- kind of like a freshly-baked sugar cookie, but better.

_Chloe._

"I'm sorry but I've already joined the mathletes- it's a pretty big time commitment. Good luck with the rest of the season," I explained quickly, trying not to sound too sarcastic, but failing miserably. I couldn't help smiling knowing that Chloe was a few feet away and I'd probably never have to talk to this idiot of a coach again.

When I turned around I saw her putting something away in her locker, standing on her tiptoes to try and reach one of the shelves. The wolf in me wanted to approach stealthily- playing prey and predator for fun- but I pushed it away and tried to make some noise as I walked towards her.

Of course it didn't work. She jumped a bit and dropped the book she'd been trying to put away.

Still skittish as a kitten. I couldn't help rolling my eyes before putting the book away for her.

It still felt a little weird sometimes- thinking that she was actually my girlfriend, because when I first realized that I might _like_ Chloe, I'd never actually thought it was a possibility that she could like me back- not in _that_ way at least.

But ever since the safe house, she'd made it perfectly clear that she liked me- _really_ liked me- maybe even as much as I liked her. That of course led my mind back to earlier this morning, when we'd both been the first ones awake, and she tried to sneak up on me in the kitchen (which didn't work) and had inevitably led to a make-out session with her sitting on the kitchen counter and-

I _really_ needed to stop thinking about that before I embarrassed myself. Shaking off those thoughts, I turned my attention back to Chloe, who had gathered up her things and closed her locker.

"Surprised? Y'know…You look like you just saw a ghost," I deadpanned.

She tried to punch me in the arm, but I dodged it. Instinct. That's when Chloe took her chance and elbowed me with her other arm- the first had been a fake-out. I should've known since we'd just covered that move during our self-defense lessons. I smiled again. _Smart_. Underneath the sweet, cheerful exterior, she was always a lot smarter and tougher than people gave her credit for.

As we walked towards the parking lot she started talking about her classes, and how she was trying to organize a movie night sponsored by the AV club, bubbling over with excitement just like she always did when she started talking about movies, or scripts, or directors. Hearing about that stuff from anyone else would've been boring as hell, but for some reason when Chloe was talking about it I couldn't help but hang onto her every word. Sometimes when she talked about the more technology-based aspects of filmmaking, I could actually contribute to the conversation, but for now I was content to just listen.

"So do you want to try changing again? It's been a week," Chloe asked once we reached the car.

Simon was at basketball practice and Tori had a date, so we had the rest of the day to ourselves. I hadn't really planned on spending it flipping my body inside out and writhing around in agony.

But she was right- it had been a week, and if I waited any longer the change would force itself- along with the usual symptoms- fever, crankiness, and rippling muscles that _might_ draw some unwanted attention.

I could already feel the dull ache in my arms and legs- skin pulling, muscles stretching- as my body got ready to shift forms. I thought that maybe it would get easier after the initial change, but so far it still hurt like a motherfuc-

I felt Chloe's hand against my arm, and some of the worry disappeared.

"Yeah- as soon as we get back. Should probably just get it over with," I said, trying to sound casual about it- like we were planning to study for a test instead of hiding out in the woods while I turned into a wolf.

Instead of pulling into the garage I drove down a dirt road that was on our property and led into a patch of forest. I grabbed the duffel bag I kept in the jeep for times like this, which had a blanket, some extra clothing and water bottles. After hiking for a bit we reached the usual clearing.

I peeled off my T-shirt and jeans, getting more nervous by the second. Sometimes I thought that the anticipation for what was coming next- the knot that always formed in the pit of my stomach- was worse than the actual change. I stretched a bit and crouched down, like a sprinter, trying to focus.

Once the change started I realized (again) that I'd been wrong: _nothing_ could possibly be worse than this- muscles seizing, bones shifting, skin pulling- _everything_ burned. The only thing that wasn't frantic or painful was the spot where Chloe's hands tried to massage the knots forming from my spine, cool and calm and reassuring. I wanted to focus on her hands- on that tiny bit of relief- or to just black out, but that would only stall the change. Finishing the change became my center of focus- I visualized being a wolf, thinking about how amazing it felt to run through the forest…I pushed on and it finally reached the point where there was no turning back.

The last part of the change was the worst, not just because of the pain, but because of the absolute lack of control. There was a terrifying sense of helplessness as everything moved of its own accord, shifting and bending and breaking whether I wanted it or not.

For a few seconds, all I could think of were curses.

When it ended I couldn't feel anything. I was dimly aware of Chloe sitting next to me, hands still moving along my back, and I must've been lying down- my line of sight was almost even with the ground. It seemed to still take a few minutes before I could move.

"You okay?" Chloe asked softly. I pretended to still be exhausted, nodding weakly. She shifted closer, and just as she rested all her weight against my side, I shot out from under her. She fell down, not enough to hurt- just enough to be annoyed. When I tried to laugh it came out as a few sharp barks. She glared at me, but there was a spark of excitement behind the anger.

This was the part that made changing worthwhile.

I stalked towards her, crouched low so I could spring forward at any moment, my tail wagging because this wasn't really hunting- it was playing…and I couldn't really control it anyways.

"Give me ten seconds head start before you go all big-bad-wolf, okay?" she insisted.

I growled, impatient, but counted to ten and closed my eyes anyways.

_Three..two..one...ready or not…_

Without even thinking I broke into a run, whipping through the underbrush. I couldn't see Chloe anymore- by now she'd have hidden- but I could smell her, and my legs instinctually followed the trail she had set. I growled when I realized that it led me to an old, hollow log.

Chloe had an advantage when it came to small spaces- I sniffed at the bark, trying to figure out where she was inside of it, but when I caught the scent something was off- it wasn't strong enough…

_Shit!_

Before I had time to move, the spare blanket wrapped around my head so I couldn't see anything. I could hear Chloe laughing in the distance and a shout of "Thanks Liz!" inbetween laughs, while I pawed at the fabric. It was knotted pretty tight, and eventually I just ripped the fabric apart with my claws, snarling and growling with frustration the entire time.

"So that's another point for me," Chloe said, branches rustling as she walked towards me, "Just a second- Ill help get that off."

She was still far enough away to not see me, so I went for the hail mary pass- diving out from the clearing and behind some bushes, careful not to make any noise.

Luckily the spot with the log was surrounded by thicket- I hunched low, hidden, watching as she walked into the clearing, grinning with triumph. She opened her mouth to say something- probably about beating me again- when she noticed the shredded blanket and froze.

Before she could move or say anything, I leaped out of the bushes, checking myself at the last moment- but still causing her to stumble backwards and fall into one of the bushes. I laugh-barked again, rushing forward to nuzzle her neck- there was one spot that was particularly ticklish below her ear, and soon she was rolling around, laughing and gasping and shouting "okay- uncle! UNCLE!" until I stopped.

"So…can we call this a tie?" she asked once she finally got her breath back. I nodded and nudged at her to get up, then froze- my muscles started to shift, and I shot her a quick glance before sprinting back to the spot where I'd left my clothes.

Don't get me wrong- changing back was still pretty much like being flayed alive- but for some reason it was the tiniest bit better than changing into a wolf. Afterwards I got dressed and ran back to Chloe.

She was sitting on the ground, putting on the shoe that she must've thrown into the log to throw me off. I watched for a second- she still hadn't realized I was there- as she carefully tied the laces with her tiny, delicate fingers- her cheeks were flushed, blonde hair windblown and messy from running. I couldn't help it when a grin creeped across my face and refused to leave.

Just as I was about to push past the bushes and into the clearing, her head tilted sideways,, glancing at something I couldn't see.

"Oh, hey," she said, "thanks again for the help."

_Liz_. My heartrate returned to normal, and I stayed hidden, not wanting to interrupt.

Chloe laughed at something Liz had said, then replied "Well maybe if-" she cut off abruptly, her expression suddenly panicked, "LIZ!"

I was standing next to Chloe before I even realized that I'd moved, but she stayed frozen in place, staring at the same spot with a look of horror.

Before I could ask, something materialized- a woman with long dark hair and fiery eyes.

"Diriel?" Chloe said, so softly that no one else could've heard her.

The woman smiled.

"I see that you received my messages."

**Sooo any opinions? Review and lemme know whatcha thought about it :)**


	5. More Questions

**Hey guys…I'm super sorry that it took so long to update. I've been swamped with school and million other things. THANK YOU for all the lovely reviews! They motivated me to finish this chapter for ya'll :) So…enjoy and review- I appreciate your input and I promise that everything will start to make sense soon. First POV is Chloe, and it switches over to Derek's POV. **

When Derek ran back to change and get dressed, I pulled the leaves and twigs out of my hair. My right foot felt cold- I glanced down to see one foot, shoeless, covered only in a muddy sock. It made a squelching noise as I walked towards the log and retrieved the shoe I'd put there earlier.

Even though I was cold and messy, I couldn't help grinning.

Playing hide and seek with Derek was tricky- he was a lot faster than me, and with his wolf-y tracking abilities I needed to get pretty creative. Fortunately I'd scouted out areas during his last change, so I knew in advance where I wanted to go.

I dashed as quickly as I could towards a small clearing, not worrying about noise. In the middle there was a hollowed out log. I pulled off one of my shoes and threw it inside the log, then quietly dashed a few hundred yards ahead. Just in case Derek wasn't fooled by my diversion, I grabbed the lowest limb of a nearby tree, then scrambled up its branches until I was high enough to see the clearing.

By now Derek was probably sprinting along the trail I'd laid.

I focused as hard as I could, and a familiar blonde popped out of thin air.

"Now?" she asked, her face bright with excitement. I'd filled her in on the plan earlier this morning.

I nodded and she disappeared.

Now all I had to do was sit back and watch.

I saw Derek burst into the clearing, heading straight towards the log, head low to the ground as he sniffed out the trail. He growled a bit, pawing at the bark, then leaned down to sniff a little more closely.

_C'mon Liz_…

As soon as Derek seemed to figure out he'd been tricked, Liz appeared and tied the spare blanket around his head.

I finally let out the laughter I'd been holding back, watching as he tried to get it off. Liz was laughing just as hard. She shot me a thumbs up, then disappeared. I took that as my cue to climb down and head back. I jogged towards a series of snarls and growls (that I was sure would've been some pretty furious cursing if Derek had been in human form).

Only when I entered the clearing did I notice how quiet it was.

Even though I _knew_ Derek would never hurt me, my heart leaped into my throat when I saw the shredded blanket. There was a flash of black fur, lightning fast, and then I fell backwards. Any anxiety I might've had disappeared when he crawled over my torso, nose nudging against my neck, fur tickling my skin until I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.

It might've been counted as a tie, but I personally considered this change as a win.

Just as I managed to pull my shoe back on, Liz appeared in front of me.

"Ohmygod did you see his face? Or, um..what's it called- muzzle? Whatever, that was totally worth it! Can we do that again? Like a different plan of course, but you know-" Liz said, speaking so fast it made my head spin. I laughed and was about to share another plan with her, when she started to shift- cutting me off mid sentence- blurring so that it seemed like she was disappearing, but then her form started to change. I caught a glimpse of her eyes, terrified, rolling backwards then glowing red hot. I shouted, but she didn't seem to hear me.

She shifted, changing into an all-too-familiar demi demon.

"M-messages?" Chloe asked, stuttering for the first time in months. Her obvious discomfort made me anxious, and I bit back a growl as it formed in the back of my throat. When I stepped closer, placing a hand against the small of her back, I could feel her relax a bit. It didn't silence the wolf, but it made it easier to control those instincts, which right now were screaming: _Defend. Protect_.

The woman, Diriel, smiled a bit. "I know that communication via dreams is horribly inefficient, but surely some of my warnings seeped through," she replied lightly, pausing to gauge Chloe's reaction.

"You've been causing those nightmares?" Chloe asked, letting anger override her fear. Despite her size, she could be intimidating when she wanted to be. I knew from first-hand experience. Diriel however, seemed unfazed.

"If that's what you want to call them-yes. I needed to get your attention, and unfortunately it was the only means of communication at my disposal," Diriel answered, then glanced around the clearing. "Speaking of which," she wrinkled her nose in obvious disapproval as she took in her surroundings, "I wouldn't have chosen _this_ particular location to meet if I had any other options."

She sighed disdainfully, then resigned herself to sitting primly on the log. The way she talked and the way she moved reminded me of a very old, very strict English teacher.

"Warnings about what exactly," I asked, voice rough and nerves still on edge. Whenever dealing with something supernatural, they were first and foremost a threat until proven otherwise.

The way Diriel looked at me didn't help. She looked…delighted. As if she'd stumbled across an old friend at the supermarket or something.

"And I see you've brought along the wolf-boy…You've grown up quite nicely by the way," she said, giving me a very obvious look-over.

Between discomfort and confusion, confusion won. "Do I know you?"

"No. I don't think you do," Diriel replied, then fixed her gaze on Chloe, "Not like our dear little necromancer here."

My head was still spinning, but at least one thing was clear- Chloe had met Diriel before. She knew what Chloe was- she knew what _I_ was…And she knew something that we didn't know. Something dangerous.

Our only option was to listen.

I ignored the way my gut twisted at the thought that Chloe hadn't trusted me with this information, because whatever the hell it was, it seemed important.

"Is it about the demon?" Chloe asked, snapping my focus back to the matter at hand.

Diriel waved off her concern, "Baalthazar? Oh, no- you won't need to worry about him for a couple more years. Technically you'll remain a minor until you reach twenty years of age-"

Again, _what the fuck_. Hearing _that_ was worse than before, when I had been completely confused, because Diriel's words reminded me of something. I dimly remembered some information from a demonology text I'd read years ago. If she was referring to the particular clause that it seemed like she was talking about…the one that addressed situations where full-demons were…_interested_ in a human…

My fists clenched subconsciously at the thought.

"Honestly- there's no need to give yourself an aneurism boy- when the time comes Chloe will be more than capable of taking care of the situation herself," Diriel chided, then muttered under her breath, "_Werewolves_. Always so overly protective. You don't see _real_ wolves acting as guard dogs…"

Somehow her words didn't help. My breathing was still uneven, fists clenched, the wolf growling those same words: _Defend. Protect. Claim what's yours…_

"Derek," Chloe asked softly. At some point she'd turned around, fingers lightly touching my arm, brows furrowed slightly in concern.

I jumped back from her touch, like she'd prodded me with a branding iron, and felt my control snap as I shouted at her.

"Just- Just can you please tell me _what the_ _hell_ is going on Chloe? Can you fill me in on whatever this-" I gestured wildly at Diriel, "is? Because it's pretty clear that you know something I don't. "

Chloe flinched, and I felt a little bit sorry, but not much. She should have told me about this- trusted me with whatever had happened. She should have trusted me like I had trusted her. She was the one person that it felt like I didn't need to hide anything from.

But she obviously didn't feel the same way.

"_Teenagers_," Diriel sighed, rolling her eyes. "Well if you want a full introduction and backstory we might as well go someplace more comfortable…I trust that you don't live in the woods?"

"Y-yeah. We can go to our house," Chloe whispered, then looked at me, "Derek- she owes me- I'll explain everything later but for now…just trust me on this one. Okay?"

I wanted to say no. I started to say it, then swallowed my words, feeling the muscles in my jaw clench uncomfortably.

Dad always said that I needed to be patient with people. Right now it felt like my patience was at its breaking point.

I knew if I said something now, I'd regret it later. So I didn't say anything. I just fished my keys from my jean pockets, silently fuming, then gestured at Diriel to follow as we headed back to my Jeep.

**Eeep! I really hate writing angsty-Derek…Lemme know whatcha thought- REVIEW!**


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